Are These Easter Traditions Ruining Your Smile? [Blog]

April 1, 2019

Easter is coming up, and a lot of people celebrate Easter traditions like candy and big meals regardless of faith. That’s because it’s quickly becoming a national tradition, and Michigan is no exception.

But some of these traditions can end up hurting your teeth. That’s why you need to call Highland Advanced Dental Care today at 248-329-3552 and make an appointment for a dental cleaning and exam. after this holiday weekend is finished. Here are a few that you should be aware of, and an explanation why they can lead to cavities, gum disease, and more.

Protect Against These Easter Traditions

Rinse after enjoying food and drinks: While brushing after every time you eat or drink is ideal, that’s also not practical. If you cannot, then rinse with plain water after every time you eat or drink something that’s not water. This helps wash away sugar, carbs, acid, and more than can hurt your smile over time.

Avoid juice, soda, and alcohol when possible: Juice and soda are horrible for teeth! That’s because they’re both very acidic and sugary, and these hurt your enamel. Alcohol also dries out your mouth, helping bacteria eat and thrive. Enjoy some around the Easter holiday, but it’s best to avoid all three whenever possible.

Skip candy that’s colorful or sticky: You should enjoy some candy! That’s part of the fun! That said, you know sugar is bad for your teeth. But any candy that’s colorful or sticky is much worse. Colorful treats can stain your teeth, while sticky ones are harder to remove from your enamel.

Put the Easter basket away after eating some candy: Again, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some candy this holiday weekend. But many families leave out baskets of candy and other sweets all weekend long, which only encourages “grazing” and over-eating. To avoid this, put the candy baskets away after you’ve had some. When out of sight, you’re less likely to keep eating the sweet stuff.

How Food & Drink Hurt Teeth

Chances are, you know that sugar is bad for your teeth. But why? It’s because sugar feeds harmful bacteria. Everyone has some on their teeth and gums, and they thrive over high-energy foods like sugar. As they grow and multiply, the bacteria create problems like gum disease and cavities.

That’s why you have to limit your sugar during the spring holiday. However, there are three other elements of food and drinks that can hurt your dental health.

Acidity: Acid found in juice, fruit, coffee, and soda slowly erodes your enamel. This creates weak spots perfect for bacteria to create cavities. Just be sure to rinse before brushing, as any acid on your teeth will just get pushed deeper into the enamel if you brush first.

Alcohol: Saliva helps wash away tiny particles that feed bacteria, but you dry your mouth out whenever you drink alcohol. While one beer won’t instantly cause cavities or anything, enjoying several alcoholic drinks will eventually lead to damaged teeth.

Carbohydrates: These are packed with energy just like sugar, so carbs found in bread, potatoes, and pasta will end up letting those harmful bacteria thrive.